In observance of Black History Month, the Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia Libraries will screen recent Peabody recipients on Tuesday nights throughout February 2009.

Each of the programs will be shown at 7 p.m. in Room 348 of the Miller Learning Center. The free screenings are open to students, faculty, staff, and the general public. Each program will be followed by a guest speaker and/or audience-participation discussion.

The Sisters in Law

“Independent Lens: Sisters in Law” (February 3) is a hilarious and moving documentary that takes us behind the scenes of a small-town courthouse in Cameroon where two dynamic, wisecracking, larger-than-life sisters – one the court’s president, the other its state prosecutor – are helping women stand up to abuse. This festival favorite from Vixen Films has won over 20 awards, including a 2007 Peabody Award.

“Dateline NBC: The Education of Ms. Groves” (February 10) chronicles the experience of Monica Groves, an idealistic Teach for America volunteer from an upper middle-class background who was assigned to a tough middle school in Atlanta. Disturbing family situations and the hardships of poverty bring problems to her classroom that she never experienced or imagined. Though it ends on a triumphant note, the extended “Dateline NBC” report also serves as a sobering reminder of work yet to be completed. This program won a 2006 Peabody Award.

“Out of Control: AIDS in Black America” (February 17) illuminates a stunning statistic: African-Americans, who make up only 13 percent of the U.S. population, account for 50 percent of all new cases of HIV infection. ABC News’ powerful report explores the underlying causes, including traditional conservatism within black communities regarding sexual practices, the ignorance of government officials, and policies that overlook major contributing factors. “Out of Control” makes it clear that every community shares responsibility for stopping this epidemic. ABC won a 2006 Peabody Award for this hard-hitting and candid report.

MLK from Boondocks

“The Boondocks” (February 24), like the Aaron McGruder comic strip on which it’s based, throws edgy, irreverent comment at some of the thorniest issues of our time. In “Return of the King,” an especially bold and imaginative episode, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wakes from a 32-year “coma” only to be branded a terrorist sympathizer when he speaks out against the current state of social affairs. Winner of a 2006 Peabody Award.